The Internet has simultaneously killed CD sales and helped expose musicians to a much wider audience. The problem has been figuring out how to get those online fans to pay up. A couple weeks ago, musicians got a new tool to help monetize their online presence and potentially gain the financial freedom to work independently.
On March 16, YouTube announced the launch of its Musicians Wanted program, allowing musicians to apply for the opportunity to enter a revenue-sharing model with the video-hosting site. In other words, musicians could actually earn money from the videos they upload based on how many views they generate. Though the program is just weeks old, YouTube says it’s already gotten more than 1,000 applicants — and those who’ve been approved so far range from the lone-girl/guy-in-bedroom-with-guitar to viral-video gurus OK Go (who left their major label because it didn’t allow their hugely popular videos to be embedded on other sites).
Meanwhile, some local musicians who have already been part of the YouTube partnership program say it’s an untapped resource that more independent artists should take advantage of. San Mateo-based video/audio masher Mike Relm has been a YouTube partner since 2008. Video is already an integral part of what Relm does musically, but the YouTube partnership has encouraged him to take it even more seriously. “I’m definitely doing a lot more videos,” he said. “In 2007, I put up three a year. More people are listening to my stuff on YouTube than they are on my web site — why don’t I just sort of focus on this?”
- Mike Relm
